Committee endorses bill to rename GOED and create economic coordinating council

Representative Roberts presented the third substitute of House Bill 475, which primarily returns GOEO’s name back to GOED to reduce confusion in external economic-development interactions, establishes an economic coordinating council for principal economic actors, and requires GOED to report to the Economic Development & Workforce interim committee on federal Opportunity Zone selections.

Roberts said the council would bring together political leadership, GOED leadership and major land authorities to improve coordination and strategic discussion. "All it is is it's saying head of GOED, [Inland Port] … we want you to meet, and we want you to talk," Roberts said, stressing the bill does not create a new land authority or new economic-development tools. He contrasted the measure with last year’s proposal that would have granted land-use authority to a new state land authority.

Carson Adler of the Utah League of Cities and Towns testified in support, saying the bill is "the polar opposite" of last year’s top-down approach because it includes local-government appointees and promotes collaboration. Committee members asked whether the name would change again; Roberts said the change is meant to reduce marketplace confusion at economic-development conferences.

Senator Kwan moved to favorably recommend the bill to the full Senate; the motion passed unanimously.